Combined elevator and conveyer of the step or stairway type



1,445,588. J. HENDRY. COMBINED ELEVATOR-AND CONVEYER OF THE STE P OR STAIRWAY TYPE- Feb. 13, 1923..

a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

FILED FEB.17,1922.

Feb. 13, 1923.; 1,445,588. J. HENDRY.

COMBINED ELEVATOR AND CONVEYER OF THE STEP 0R STA-IRWAY TYPE.

FILED FEB-1L 1922. 4 SHEETSSHEET 2- I I 4 1.?20 E0 2 2 W M 4 I I I I l i I ll I 1 s I 2/ I29 2 2 l/w i rrofi Feb. 13,1923.

' 1,445,588 1. HENDRY.

COMBINED ELEVATOR AND CONVEYEROF THE STEP 0R STAIRWAY TYPE- FILED FEB-17, 1922. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- INT/m 7'05.

J. HENDRY.

Feb, 13, 1923.,

COMBINED ELEVATOR AND CONVEYER OF THE STEP 0R STAIRWAY TYPE- FILED FEB. 17.

Patented Fella. 1%, i923.

ltl

JAMES HENDRY, OF ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTEALIA, AUSTRALHL, ASSIGIA TOR F QNE- HALF TO A. M. BICKFORD SENS, LIMITED, OF ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA,

AUSTRALIA, A CORPOEATION OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA. r

COMBINED ELEVATOR AND CONVEYER OF THE STEP STAIBEVAY TYPE.

Application filed February 17, 1922. Serial No. 537,274.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, J AMES Hnnnnr, a subject ot the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 96 'Waymouth Street, Adelaide State of South Australia, Common wealth of Australia, have invented a certain new and useful Combined Elevator and jConveyer of the Step or Stairway Type, of which the following is a specification.

This inventionhasbeen specially devised in order to provide a combined elevator and conveyer of: the step or stairway type that is simpler indcsigu and cheaper in construe tion thantheexisting types of stairway elevator and which with the use of the same standard parts is capable of great variation in size and design, to adapt it for such diverse trades as bottling, canning and packing factories, restaurants, and general. tactory and. warehouse use.

This con bined elevator and conveyer comprises a number of tables or trays soar-.

ranged and supportedfthat when running horizontally they form one continuous band and, when ascending, the surtace of each one remains horizontal, thus forming in the elevating sections a stair like arrangement.

Butin order that the invention may be p more readily understood it will be described 30 v ith reference to the accompanying draw- 1 is a: diagrammatic sideelevation showing the general arrangement of the parts of the upper portion of a combined elevator and conveyer according to this invention and Fig. 1 is a similar view to Fig. 1 of the lower portion of the same. Fig, 2 is a detailsection of one of the sprockets showing also portion of the chain and adjacent tables but not showing a central track or side rails. F 3 is aside elevation of part of the chain and tables in the horizontal conveying portion.

Fig. 4c is an inverted plan of F g. 3.

Fig. is a section on line 5+5 of Fig. 1 y y the rear wheels 22, so tar as the forward on an enlarged scale.

Fig, 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale. a

Fig. 7 is a section on line 77 of Fig. 1. on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 8 is a detail plan of part of a rail andgguard rail.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic side elevationot part of the central track and side rails and Flg. 10 1s a plan of part of Fig. 9.

Fig, 11. is a detail front elevation of a tencovering 16 of rubber fabric or the like.

l/Vhen the tables are oi. any appreciable thickness the :Front and rear edges are bevelled to match as at 17, the rear end of each table fittingover the 'forward end of the next succeeding table, so that it not possible for them to jam when turning over. This arrangement also provides support for the front ends of the tables when they are returning in an inverted position. The rear end of each table might be provided with a downwardly directed plate to serve as a riser when the tables break into steps and to cover the space intermediate the adjacent tables.

In this case the shoe supports 18 of'the tables are correspondingly deepened. For general factory use these risersare not necessary, but they may be necessary or advisable where there is any danger of the load overhanging or being placed too close to the front of the tables which may arise when the conveyer is automatically loaded.

The front end oi each table is carried by a shoe or bridge 18 secured to its under face and pivotally mounted upon the axle 19 of aroller 20 of an endless chain 21. s

The length of each table may he the length of one or more links of the chain.

The rear end of each table 15 is carried by an overhung wheel 22 at each side on an The'rollers 20 oi the endless chain 21 and horizontal aiidythe ascending portions of the elevator are concerned, are carried upon three separate. tracks or rails; the central tracks 25 carrying the rollers 20 and the side rails 26 carrying the rear Wheels 22.

The levels of the tracks or rails are set or adjusted according to the size of the chain rollers, the depth of the shoe, and the size of the rear wheels. The track 25 may be provided with side or flange members 27 to retain the rollers 20 in position, the said side members being discontinued at the curved portions of the track so as to allow clearance for the links of the chain 21. Or the track 25 might be grooved to form a. runway for the rollers 20.

In the ascending portion of the elevator the central track 25 is advanced to such an extent that the surfaces of the tables 15 maintain their horizontal position, the degree of advancement being dependent upon the length of the tables, the depth of the wheel and chain attachments, and the angular rise of the track. As the top of the elevator is approached the central and side tracks are gradually brought into the same alignment as before, so that the tables remain horizontal throughout.

When the tables complete the elevating and conveying section of their movement, the chain 21 passes around a toothed wheel 28 or.around a roller and the tables turn over and carry the chain supported upon their upturned lower surface. The central track is discontinued just before it reaches the toothed wheel 28.

In the returned portions of the elevator there is no central track and the two outside rails 26 are set upon the outside, instead of the inside, of the course, so that they support, by means of the overhung wheels 22, the returning tables turned bottom uppermost.

The rails or tracks are carried by bearers 29 that are supported by the framework (not shown) constructed of metal or wood to suit the particular conditions of the installations.

Theendless chain passes at the lower end of the elevator around a large sprocket wheel 30 secured upon a shaft 31 that is mounted in suitable bearings (not shown) and is adapted to be operated by an electric motor or other convenient source of power, with a clutch connection thereto as will be readily understood. Or it may be driven by means of intermediate sprocket wheels, which may be synchronized by con necting chains. Pawl and ratchet devices may be aflixed to any sprocket wheel to prevent reversal of the elavator under load, and any of the well known devices to sus tain the chain and load in case of breakage of the chain may be installed. Near the bottom of the descending portion the chain passes around another roller 32 (or it may be a sprocket wheel) secured upon a shaft 33 and vices 34,

At the'bottom and the top of the elevator the track 25 and rails 26 are'horizontal tor provided with tension adjusting de- 1,44asss such distance as it is desired to use the conveyor portions.

In order to ensure that the tables maintain their horizontal position as they approach the top, there are secured, above the two side rails 26, two upper or outer guide bars 35 at such a height that the wheels can just pass between (see Fig. 0). Where heavy loads may be dumped on the conveyer, similar guides may be repeated where necessary to avoid tilting of the tables. The three point suspension of the tables is, however, found to be sulhciently stable for all reasonable requirements.

The down tracks are continued around the end of the horizontal conveyor portion so that the wheels, where they change track. are securely started upon their downward. course. In order to ensure that the wheels shall find their places properly when entering upon the bottom conveyor portion the lower returning track is similarly continued around the end portion as shown in Fig. 5).

The axle 23 upon which is mounted the grooved or flanged wheels 22 preferably has no pin or other retaining device, the wheels being merely slipped on to the axles and held in place by the complementary track and guarded by guard rails 36 placed just outside the main rails. guard rails may be provided with inclined openings 37 whereby any wheel 22 that may have become displaced so that it runs on the top of the guard rail 36 is returned to the main rail 26.

The combined conveyor and elevator may be built of any convenient size, and the length and width of the tables may be pro portioned as desired. It may be employed for the conveyance of any goods of an integral nature, and is particularly suitable for the conveyance of fragile articles or goods which require to be transferred in an upright position.

Further the conveyor and elevator may be loaded and discharged automatically by any of the well known methods now commonly in use with flat conveyor belts, when a synchronized turnstile or trip device. may be employed to ensure loading on the bodies oi" the tables and avoid the loud being placed on the intersection ot two tables.

The elevator and conveyor may be run in the reverse direction so as to lower goods instead of: to raise them.

The conveyor and elevator sections may each be of any convenient length, and the elevator section may be arranged at any convenientangle. but it is not advisable to as cend at any angle greater than 45 degrees to the horizontal.

What I claim is 1. A combined elevator and conveyor of the type specified comprising:a plurality of tables, a conveyer chain ofthe roller type,

At intervals these ill) masses a shoe secured to the under face of each table near its forward end and pivotally mounted on the axle of a roller of the chain, an axle secured near the rear of the table, a wheel on each. end of the axle, and a central and two side tracks whereby the tables are supported in a horizontal position during the whole of theirforward travel.

2. In a combined elevator and conveyer of the type specifiedz a conveyer chain of the roller type in combination with a number of tables, each of the tables being provided at its front end with a shoe that is pivotally mounted on the axle of one of the rollers of the chain.

3. In a combined elevator and conveyer of the type specified :-a conveyerchain, and a' 5. In combination with the elements claimed in claim 4: a rail of the guard railshaving an inclined opening therein at intervals for the purpose of returning a displaced rear supporting wheel to its normal position.

6. In a combined elevator and conveyer of the type specified:tables, a median track and a rail at each side of the median track whereby the tables are supported in a horizontal position during the whole of the forward travel, and side rails whereby the tables are supported in an inverted position during the return travel.

7 In a combined elevator and conveyer of the type specified having a median track and side rails as set forth in the preceding claim said side rails being arranged to overlap and embrace the wheels at the turning points as herein set forth.

8. In a combined elevator and conveyer of the type specified having a median track and siderails as set forth in claim 6, sup porting wheels for the tables, and guard rails to retain the supporting wheels in position when rounding a curve in order to maintain the tables in a horizontal position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses this 6th day of January 1922.

' JAMES HENDRY.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR GORE CoLLIsoN, KATHLEEN GosTWYoKn SAUNDERS. 

